International Women’s Day (IWD) 2018 calls for us all to #PressforProgress towards gender parity and arrives at a unique moment in time.
There is huge momentum behind women’s sport, which is beginning to change the landscape significantly and, hopefully, irrevocably for the better.
Sport connects with Australians in a way no other industry can. For me this brings with it an extra responsibility – to lead, influence and demonstrate the way forward.
The Male Champions of Change (MCC) Sport group recognises this opportunity and is making a significant impact. Golf Australia has a seat at this table as one of 18 members representing the key sports in terms of economic contribution, participation and influence in the Australian sporting landscape.
Each CEO has a deep personal commitment to gender equality, whilst the MCC Sport group boasts 7,000+ employees, more than 9 million participants and a million members across its constituent organisations.
The group’s effectiveness is demonstrated by its recent achievements, which include:
• A practical guide to workforce flexibility tailored for sporting organisations
• More gender-balanced, diverse and inclusive ‘public faces’ for sports organisations
• The MCC women in sport sponsorship program, through which high potential women leaders are matched with and sponsored by senior executives
• A panel pledge to only participate on panels if senior women from the sector are included.
Our 2018 priorities include developing more respectful and inclusive sporting cultures, advancing more women into leadership positions and developing pathways to pay equity for elite women athletes.
I’m proud to be part of this group and personally committed to changing our sport for the better, as I hope you’ve seen through the recent Vision 2025 announcement.
However, as Mark Hayes has so beautifully highlighted in his opinion piece this week, we can only win together.
So, I’d like to ask you to be a champion of change in your organisation, golf club or facility. As the R&A recently highlighted, the health of our sport depends on it.
Stephen Pitt
CEO – Golf Australia
The Male Champions of Change Sport
• Mark Anderson – CEO, Collingwood Football Club
• Raelene Castle (Special Advisor) – CEO, Rugby Australia
• Brian Cook – CEO, Geelong Football Club
• Matt Finnis – CEO, St Kilda Football Club
• Marne Fechner (Special Advisor) – CEO, Netball Australia
• Brendon Gale – CEO, Richmond Football Club
• David Gallop – CEO, Football Federation Australia
• Todd Greenberg – CEO, National Rugby League
• Cain Liddle – CEO, Carlton Football Club
• Anthony Moore – CEO, Basketball Australia
• Kate Palmer (Special Advisor) – CEO, Australian Sports Commission
• Stephen Pitt – CEO, Golf Australia
• Ian Robson – CEO, Rowing Australia
• James Sutherland – CEO, Cricket Australia
• Giles Thompson – CEO, Racing Victoria
• Craig Tiley – CEO, Tennis Australia
• TBC – CEO, Swimming Australia